Development of Non-invasive Method for Quantifying Vitamin D Levels in the Body Using Spectroscopy

Lack in vitamin D reduces the absorvtion of calcium in the body, accelerates bone loss and may increase the risk of fractures due to osteoporosis. Vitamin D can be ingested by foods and specific supplements, but the main source for the vitamin is synthesis in the skin by usin sun radiation. Today, quanitification of vitamin D levels is performed using a blood test. Mostly; the physician will send the patient to check the levels and vitamin D if he suffers from osteoporosis, renal inpairment, suspected for activity of the thyroid gland; tubeculosis or sacoidosis.

studies have shown that it is possible to quantify the different elements in the contents of the blood, such as melanin and hemoglobin, using spectroscopy of the skin (Zonion et al, 2001; Tseng et al, 2009), but to the investigators knowledge, the identification of levels and vitamin D in similar means has not been reported in professional literature.

The rationale for this research: an algorithm that will allow immediate and non- invasive quantification of vitamin D levels will shorten the time of diagnosis, reduce lab costs and prevent hazards or dicomfort to the patientassociated with a blood test.

Methods:

40 subjects aged 18-65 will be recruted for this research: 20 patients be recruited from the population of patients in the endocrinology department who were diagnosed withe osteoporosis. Also, 20 healthy subjects will be recruited.